Oxbridge Freshers 2018

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

old thread

A chat/support thread for parents of undergrads who have entered the quite frankly slightly odd world of Oxbridge.

Apparently we are parents to undergrads now

[Bakeandyarn]

DS is home with mountains of washing, he’s exhausted so I’m expecting him to do very little for the next few days, it is lovely to have him back!

Just results to wait for now, then we’ve got GCSE’s at the end of August too.

[PandaG]

Are your dc settled back, or are they off on adventures? Mine was home for 7 days before heading off, and was back in Cambridge precisely 11 days after he left! He will be home via a number of other friends in a week or so, ready to start his placement.

And a phew! Got results yesterday and he is pleased and relieved. Exams didn't go amazingly well but better than he thought, so he is happy!

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

That's good Panda :)

dd has already started her placement. She seems to be really enjoying it. It's nice to have the happy dd back.

[Sunndowne]

DD is showing students around cambridge. She's off to HK on a placement in 2 weeks. Grannie is worrying about the demos there!!

[HeyBells]

DS is off travelling. He was happy enough with exam results, he's dealt really well with no longer being a top A* student, more average now! I think he's relieved to have down time now with no stress. Some volunteering is lined up as couldn't get a placement. He could of course try getting a job...

[Sunndowne]

Good for your DS to take results in his stride. I' m impressed. I think it can be hard to adjust because of course, none of them are really average. They are all really bright students with some exceptional amongst them.

[Sunndowne]

Sorry - responding to you hey bells. Good to see you back on thread

[Bakeandyarn]

Well done panda’s DS, it’s good to hear he’s done well and is happy. It’s very much the unknown with their first exams isn’t it, they had a bit of a safety net with A-level specifications and mark schemes but these exams are very different! It’s good to hear of everyone’s successes.

[PandaG]

Heybells - glad to hear your DS taken results in his stride - it is such a difference being amongst so many others as able or more so than you. I remember DH in his first term at Cambridge - only one from sixth form to go, he was really exceptional at school - crying because he just couldn't do the maths, and he has never experienced that before. (Yes we were together before university, and got married straight after!).
DS knew he needed the 90% plus last year in some papers in order to get the A* s required, so it is quite an adjustment to realise he can't get anything like that now. He was used to the luxury of time to check through a couple of times to pick up silly mistakes in A level, but here very little time if any to check back at the end of the paper because he just had to slog to get through it all in the time. Still, they all know what to expect next year now. :)

[Bakeandyarn]

panda they’ve been brilliant, what a lot they’ve all coped with this year. It’s been a year of firsts, experience wise. They should all be so proud of themselves and enjoy their summer break.

[Sunndowne]

Yes panda, identify with what you say. DD tells me the standard is so high and 2 weeks before exams felt she wasn't making standard. She feels , while she was doing well, she was moving from week to week, had no exam in mind until end. Nervous extreme insomnia didn't help but actually, she pulled ot around and did pretty well. Hope's to gain a few Mark's next year, now she knows how to go about it. DD was also used to being the top! Adjustment.
So glad all DC on here have done well.

[PandaG]

Glad you know what I mean!

It has been a year of adapting for us too! DS is my eldest so I have had to adjust to him being away. He had been away with school, or scouts or whatever quite a bit, but this time last year he cycled 200k to my dad's over 2 days, camping overnight. He planned it meticulously, but I was on edge until he got there. Currently he is off on his bike for a fortnight, mostly visiting friends from university I don't know, though is at my Dad's this weekend. I am completely relaxed about him being off on his own, and relying on his nightly strava update to know he is where he should be!

[Bakeandyarn]

Glad I’m not the only one panda, I still feel a bit daft when I have a missing him moment! It’s a busy time getting them ready to go and then all of a sudden they’ve gone and there’s nothing for us to do (except send things they’ve forgotten, provide moral support, deal with late night emergencies etc, etc). I’ve found it really strange at times and then there’s the adjustment when they come home too!

[ofteninaspin]

Well done to all DC who have had exam results so far. DD found the exams tough. Results are due in two weeks time but we have to wait until DD returns from an expedition. DD was home for four days before leaving again. It was a whirlwind of unpacking, repacking and catching up with friends! She has taken two flights and a 15 hour journey by jeep - having only previously travelled to Europe by herself! No phone contact now for a month . Meanwhile, I have returned from a uni open day road trip with DS. Am thinking family life will never be quite the same again....

[Bakeandyarn]

Aw often, life sure has changed for us all. My youngest is waiting for GCSE results so we have a little bit longer before we do the next university application. DS has no idea when his results are due, his exams finished on the 27th so I guess it’s going to be a couple of weeks yet.

[Sunndowne]

Gosh often , what an 'adventuress'! How amazing. DD's friend had a similar experience in Fiji this year as part of a gap experience. Best time ever, and looks it on videos.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

That is an adventure Often! Wow!

[ofteninaspin]

Good luck Bake with the GCSE results. Hopefully you can all still relax despite waiting for two sets of exam results!
DD is developing a taste for adventure just as I am becoming more risk adverse! Her travel this summer is relevant to her degree (and part funded by her college) so I guess it was too good an opportunity to miss.

[HesMyLobster]

It's so lovely to read about all of your DCs' exam successes and adventures.
Well done to them all - first year done!

DD's course is structured a bit differently - she didn't have prelims, so no exam stress at the end for her. She was chief-trasher for all of her friends though and is hoping they'll return the favour when she has mods in March.

She does have a tonne of work to do over the summer though. Her tutor told them apparently that they should be treating it like a 9-5 job throughout the vac. That's going to be tricky when she's on a full time placement for 4 weeks followed by inter railing with uni friends for another 3
She insists she'll manage to get it all done somehow - good job she loves it!

I love hearing about all their summer plans - hope they are all finding some time to rest and recover a bit - they've earned it.

I'm really enjoying having DD home, even though it currently amounts to a quick hug or chat in between her getting home from placement and rushing back out to catch up with friends/ boyfriend.
I'm sure I had more actual conversation with her (via FaceTime) while she was in Oxford!

[Sunndowne]

That's a lot of summer study work lobster! Glad she's doing lots of other things too. It's lovely hearing your news as all others.
Happy holidays all!

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

That is a lot of work! dd will have a computing project when it is released, for the time being, she's enjoying being able to declare her day done when she gets home from work.

[ofteninaspin]

DD's tutor also said they should treat the summer vac as a "9 to 5 job" (DD had prelims so this must be for a different subject). Surely an unrealistic expectation for most students as they are busy with placements, holiday jobs - and hopefully some downtime too!

[PandaG]

DS has a couple of projects to do, and will recap on some of his learning I think, but he has 8 weeks of 9-5 placement, which is necessary for his degree ( though could be done next year) and has had a couple of weeks off, and will have a few days away with friends in September. He will study next week, and some evenings after that once the placement starts, but I really think he needs to rest too! And we expect a bit of mucking in with housework - cooking, grass cutting etc.

I'm.just glad he is safe home after his mammoth ride!

[Bakeandyarn]

DS has a reading list of his next paper but nothing too heavy. He’s just having a complete break at the moment. Maybe it varies depending upon subject but his tutor for next term hasn’t done anything other than provide a reading list at the moment. He tells me exam results are due on the 22nd but has no idea where he got that information from (!) or even if it is true!

[OhTheRoses]

So, how are they enjoying the holidays? Did anyone have flashbacks to a year ago, ot two for some us.

DD has her accomm for next year - slightly off piste tbh. We have our hotel booked for 4th October.

Shall we need each other next term? @OhYouBadBadKitten.